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The package of drafts proposes to create legislative bases for the effective use of administrative arresting toolkits by customs servants. The legislative initiative on Making Addenda and Amendments to the Law on Customs Regulation and on Amending the Law on Customs Service was debated and endorsed in the second reading at the sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on October 18.

The drafts establish the Government's authority to establish mandatory rules of behaviour for citizens in customs control zones, the scope of customs offenses is supplemented by the liability for violating the rules of behaviour in customs control zones, as well as the grounds for subjecting persons to administrative arrest by customs servants are specified making them practically applicable, approximating to the procedural aims of subjecting to administrative arrest.

The key rapporteur, the Deputy Chairman of the State Revenue Committee (SRC) Artur Manukyan noted that as a result of the adoption of the package of drafts, the organization of the customs control function will be carried out more smoothly and efficiently, the cases of violations of customs rules will be more effectively prevented in the customs control zones, as well as the possibility of obstructing the work of the customs body in the customs control zone due to the illegal behavior of citizens will decrease.

The Committee member Tadevos Avetisyan mentioned that the legislative package contradicts the provisions of the Government’s programme, because, according to him, a punitive toolkit is given to the administrative body.

The Deputy Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Babken Tunyan stated that the provisions of the drafts correspond to the provisions by which they are guided. It was noted that no one’s interests are violated.

Artur Manukyan explained that the provisions of the drafts will be applied to those citizens who allow violation of customs rules.

Editorial amendments were made after the first reading.